Temperature-measuring apparatus



ocr. 28, 4195s Filed April 4, 1955 F. H. TAYLR TEMPERATURE-MEASURING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Oct.l 28, 1958 F. H. TAYLOR 2,858,351

TEMPERATURE-hammams APPARATUS Filed April 4. 1955 I v sheets-sheet 2 a signor `to Leeds and ANoyau a, .a e ,tion

The present invention relates to temperature-.measur- -ing apparatus, more ,particularlyimmei'sionetype,thermocouples, `and 4has for-an objeettlie .pryisionzof improvements inimmersion-.type the'rniocoilplesusdlin measuring the .temperature -ofmolten metals and the like, said improvements providing increased accuraty, 'greater cnvenience and reliability df the ther'mocoupleequipme'nt.

The ,presentinvention provides improvements adapted for vuse inthe immersion .thermoc'uples disclosed in U. LettersiPatent 2,732,416, grantedianuary '24; 1956, upon a copendingapplication'of Robertson '..Serial No. 269,428, led February 1, 1952.

In .the `construction .oimmersion type, thermocouples .used )for measuring" temperature of i molten metalsin .the Arange of about 2700. .'t'o .29.00. ,F.,.. thermocoup'le `.elements such" as platinum. and platinum-.rhodium are .particularly .susceptible tocontamination .whennsed for .such high .temperature measurement. -Thelplatinumrhodium material `is generally. l% or 13% rhodium andthe remainder platinum. .While ,such materialsfare ,quite stable at low .temperatures, .asthe `.temperature lis raised to .the range .indicated,..the materials ibelcome .in- ,creasingly 4moreLsusceptible to .contamination While previously .known .thermocouples ,have made .,provision', for storing ,additional material ,for thesensing or' .measuringsection .of 'a therrnocouple, thereneival of ,a ,.containinatedlr .otherwise defective thermo'couple .junction .has only 'been p ssible'by disassembly of tlie thermocoup'le.protectixke housing .at .the ,point ,where con- .nection is made betweenthefsensingor ,measuring leads Aand .the compensating Ileads, sor bygmeehanical .manipulation .of the stored wires, .resulting :inwerking .or bending of. the therrnocoupleniateriahto permita neu/measuring junction to be formed. Where platinum .and ,platinumrhodium .maten'alslare used; the. thermoelectrie fand .mechanical properties .are .adverselyafplected 1.by ,Cold- .working of the metal, `as bi'tbenclingtand-twi-sting. Accordingly, ,it is highly .desirable .to be .able to renewlhe thermocouple junction. with minimum .mechanical .work- `.ingiof themeasuringmaterials. '.Iuaclcordance with `still .another vaspect,ofthepresentinvention, provision.y is made `torrenewing themeasuringjunction ,Witnmimmumold- .working ofithejsensing materials, ,while retainingV Qonvenience and accessibility to `the.conne,ctnhs lhetween .themeasuring section..ofathenhermocgnpleand tlie exi, tension section.. through. .which thethermoielectrepotem `tialis transmitted.

.gIn practice, it .has `been .found .that ...with immersion .theunoeeuplesnhiehereexpesed ,teteruperatureseaseedinef27007med1aaiqal .stresesare Cre @within ele- ,.netsef the.squame.-rartiallarly expe Sien @ad .r 99.1.1'- traction o these elernents. The nson andcontraceolienne thereulsl elements, arficn'rryjsf are .Eterrninalstrutureto Whiwban electricalgconnect A* rnadehy .the i lefad .v/imei y United States Patent@ ment in .obtaining a temperature measurement. More particularly, V.during .thefevxpansion Uof the term'inalassembly, thepressure exerte'dfby the terminal vcomponents aginsrthe `thermocouple wires and ,th'e lead wiresnay .be YreducecLto.tlaezoint wher ethe electrical rcontact'iis destroyedi y fr e In 'another aspect Yof the` present invention, provision is made to` preventy open'lircuiting between 'the thermo- ,c'oiuplewires' and .their associated i'ead wires by provisin of Iaconnecto1j-`or .terminal structure having Aanaisso- ,ci'ated resilient means ',exrtin'g pressure to maintain an electrical contact ,.betweerifthe aforesaid wiresregard'-v `less f`.the f.tempe`rature attainedat thef'connectr 'a'si Y n 1. ,mi :n.7 Jnyet another aspect gof .the present inventionthe ,connector assembly affords a quick,e'asy connection and disconnection .between .the .thegmocpuple wires 'and their associated lead'wires'." "L "7 i 't f ai, In apreferredembodiment, the connector or terminal v.Struitllte 'of male andzfemal'e"inulating"struitures .having ...Complementary "surfaces between which r-the thermocouple wires and their associatedslead'wres iie `tolbedisposed. .A resilient means associated'with the conneetorlapplies a force whichymoves the insulating strugturesjoward one another :t establish` and maintain an ,electrical contact betweenthe `thermocouple"wi`1es .and ltheir associated .lead wires. .Wit'such'an arrange- `,m e`r 1t,i t is only 'necessary` to movethe nsulating'strllllrfes apartand pulfiijpon the 'exposed'lengtl of thermo- ,Couillewire ,to 'obtainl an uncontaminated length' thereof 'narlformirga Vnew'.'l1ot Ijunction.'-:" -lt is desirable t o positiongtlie measuring thermocouple ina per,otectingtube;.,scli' as a silica' tube, for'protectn of.tl1e tl1'ermoeouple -measuring junctiom from 'a bath ofmoltenmateril. i 'l' I norderto facilitate the formation of a new hot Vjunction, and -.furtherin ac'cordancewitn the presentinvention, thegsilica-protecting ,tube is magle readily removable Q1-Om.. an kmidi structure of'..thejtemperature-measuriirg apparatus. More particularly, the end structure :is "pro- .llidetilwith .Cavity for;r`eceivingthe slicatubeail a ,segQndaIYity,for;receiving^ a resilient means; which're- ,silient A means ,extends iinto the iilstf'mentioneilv cavity Ito engage and` apply aJateraljforce'against the silicaftube .to maintain., it ,in position; `within the end stmcture.Y i f Ior furt l1er objects and alvantages of'the present :inyention reference. isto be had ,to the `following detaiId descriptiontaken .in conjunction iwith the accompanying V-d wingsNinwhich: ,Eig L1' s a n -ssemblyview of animmersion thermo- Qpupleenrbodyinglhe.presentinventiong f `JFig. 2,is,a n ,enlarged 'rossfsectional view of thelower .assembly effe .weeen-iwan@ tuepfesentuyeemnraud .h d.-.

the housing for insertion into and removal from a molten metal bath as well as in providing a conduit for leads 16 and 17 incable 18. As thus far described the immersion thermocouple is generically similar to that disclosed in the aforesaid Robertson application.

As shown in Fig. 3, the housing 10 is supported or connected to the cross-pipe tting 12 through the male portion 19 of a pipe union 20, an externally threaded coupling member 21 and an internally threaded coupling member 22. The coupling member 22 provides threaded engagement between the upper ends of the pipe or housing 10 and through the externally threaded coupling member 21 to the female portion of the union 20.

TheYcoupling member 22 likewise provides a support for the Athermocouple extension assembly designated generally by the reference character 23 by means of a ring member 24 threadedly engaging the coupling 22 and secured kto the tube 25 by means of a set screw 26. For purposes of applying compression to a lower terminal structure 40 (Fig. 2) and of oatingly supporting the thermocouple extension assembly 23 within the tubing 25, there is provided an upper terminal block 27 and a coil spring 28 seated against a shoulder portion 27A of the block 27.

As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the thermocouple extension assembly 23 comprises the upper terminal block 27, aV

plurality of electrical insulators 29, the lower terminal structure or connector 40 and a thermocouple measuring vsection which includes an insulator 30. The insulators -29 are provided with a plurality of axial or longitudinal bores 31, 31A, 32, 32A, 33, 33A (Fig. 4) through which are respectively passed extension lead wires 34, 34A, tie wires 35, 35A and thermocouple wires 36, 36A. Preferably the two tie or binding wires 35, 35A pass through diametrically opposite bores 32, 32A and are fastened at one end at terminal block 27 and at the other end at a female member 41 of the terminal structure or connecting block assembly 40. The connections at'both Vends are made by any convenient means, such as by crimping or bending the ends so that the terminal block, the connector assembly and the insulators form a unitary structure.

The spring 28 applies a tension force along the thermocouple extension assembly 23 that is transmitted along the tie wires 35, 35A extending from one end to the other of the assembly. The spring 28 is seated about the tube 25 and against a surface of the ring 24 and applies a tension force against the upper terminal block 27. In accordance with the present invention there is :provided a space existing between an end of the uppermost insulator 29 and an underside of the upper terminalv block assembly 27. This space is provided so that there may be relative movement between the insulators 29 and the tie wire interconnected female member 41 and terminal block 27, for a purpose hereinafter to be described.

elements of the thermocouple are comprised of platinum and platinum-rhodium, the lead wires respectively connected to these elements are comprised of platinum and platinum-rhodium. The wires 16 and 17 in such gcasef wouldV be compensating lead wires, one being comprised of copper and connected to the platinum-rhodium wire, the other beingcomprised of a copper-nickel alloy and Yconnected to the platinum wire. The copper-nickel, alloy is composed of v98% copper and 2% nickel.

In the structure illustrated,'surplus thermocouple element wires 36, 36A are stored within the longitudinal bores 33, 33A of the insulators 29. With such an an rangement, new thermocouple measuring junctions may be provided upon contamination of the old junctions by cutting off the contaminated portion of the thermocouple element and drawing replacement material stored within the measuring device.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided the terminal connector assembly 40 which assures that throughout the entire temperature range to which the thermocouple device may be exposed there will be maintained an electrical connection between the lead wires and their respective thermocouple elements. The improved terminal structure or assembly 40 also facilitates the withdrawal and ready reconnection of additional lengths of thermocouple wires without bending or twisting. The lack of mechanical manipulation of the wires avoids cold-working which adversely affects the mechanical and electrical properties of the thermocouple wire. In carrying out these features of the invention, the connector 40 is comprised of the female insulating structure 41 and the rnale insulating structure 42. These structures are provided with complementary surfaces 41A, 42A and 41B, 42B between which the thermocouple wires 36, 36A and their associated extension lead wires, or compensating lead wires 34, 34A are disposed. In the arrangement illustrated, the male connecting structure 42 `is substantially wedge-shaped and the other connecting structure 41 has a complementary V-shaped notch.

One of the lead wires 34 and one of the thermocouple wires 36 are disposed along one of the surfaces 42A of the connecting structure 42 and the other thermocouple wire 36A and its associated lead wire 34A are disposed along an opposite surface 42B of the connector member 42. In this manner the thermocouple wires are maintained spaced and insulated one from the other.

In order to elfect an electrical connection between the thermocouple wires 36, 36A and their associated lead wires 34, 34A, one of each of them may be placed to cross over the other associated wire in the manner shown. The connector structures 41 and 42 are then moved toward each other and a resilient force is applied against the thermocouple wires and their respective lead wires to effect an electrical connection. This resilient force is transmitted from the coil spring 28 along the tie wires 35, 35A to the female member 41 of the connector 40, which force moves the member against the other connector member 42. The male member 42 is seated against an end surface of the tube 25 and positioned within a ring 38 (Fig. 2) threadedly connected to that end ofy the tube.

Ythe thermocouple wires 36, 36A are free to move through the connector structure 40 and the desired length of wire may thus be obtained.

The measuring or sensing section 11 of the thermocouple assembly includes the thermocouple wires 36 and 36A joined at a measuring, sensing or hot junction 37.

-The thermocoupleelements or wires 36 and 36A pass through the extension insulator 30 which abuts an end of the connector element 41, to make contact withthe extension lead ',wires 34 and 34A disposed between the complementary surfaces of the connector elements 41 and 42. Y

The terminal or connecting assembly 40 permits the thermocouple elements disposed within the insulating blocks 29 tobe-,pulled straight therefrom and an electrical contact to be re-established with minimum bendr ing and minimum cold-working of the thermocouple iiit'erials, both matters ofA importance in temperature measurements.V f f :Both the connector .membersAl-ztaildiil of :the-SQIL- .nector or terminal structure f1.0; are-DLOV-ledv with: il `plurality of apertures passing ilongitudinellytiherhrlugh nndwhich correspond substantially Sl,1 i 1 r. pfz tures orfhores '31, 31A, 32;. 32A, 33,1 33A pSSng tlllfllh -theinsulators 29. A t'jleastjtvs/,o .o f the `apertures of each of the members 41 andj.42 `are in alignmentralonggthe adjacent surfaces thereof. These aligned apertures ac leommodatenthe tie .wire, sz135, :35A `'which inaddition to transmitting force fromthe spring. 28 also restrain the :liateral movement :between .the members 41. and A2, thereby maintaining :these .elements `insa desired, aligned p osi tion.

` The members 4.1," .42 may Aih etcomprisedof anyinsulat-l Iling-material, either in whole .or Lin part, capable of A withstanding the temperato-ure flike'ly fto tbe 4encountered -in lthe -particularfapplication." Ceramicfinsulatinganaterials have 'beniound' satisfactory ffor use inr a -device measuningthe `temperature of -moltenmetafL As shown in {Fig. 2,.-.thetubing'ZStandtthe housing :10 1a-rearranged readily lto constrain the `tliermocoupleuextension assembly 23 at =thefllower ,end :by l.permitting .the VV'male -connector member 42 to :contact -the rlowenend Iof the tube lor tubing 25. Coil springZS (iF-ig. 31)'in addition to its aforesaid ffunotion tof applying force to fthe fconnectorsstructure `40 alsoperrnits ldifferences :in Athermal -'expansion between' the lthermocoup'le assen1'b1y"23and the tube -or Ltubing 2S `to take -place -without vsubstantial disturbance in the position of -the `nneasuring ljunction 6:7 -with respect to the Ltubing25. As 'also described-in the aforesaid copending application, any diierences i'nlength Aof tubing '25 Aand the assembly `"Z, -dueo difference in lthermal expansion, result in greatenor -lesserlcompreslsion of the coil spring I2 (Fig. 13). lSince the -ineasuring; sectionr :from the junction 37 to i the. complementary surfaces ofthe` connector elements 411.andf427is relatively short, the position of the-junction 37 is :not-greatly changed with respect to the 4tubing 25 with vchanges Jin v-temperature. A ,sleeve :38, threadedly mounted on the lower `end -of -the--tubing 25, provides -aroatingjsupport n'for the'tbing 235 ,withrespecQto the lhousinglby being "in slidablecontact with j"theinn er surface -therefcy -By virtue of vthe `floating supports, jthe diiferential 'thermal expansion of the housing 210, tubinHgQZS andthe thermocouple extensionpassemnbly 23is possible withoutjnducing `stresses orrstrains in anyof these elements vvhileat the Same-:time there is 1provided a C Qatnusus force exerted upanahe elements of the Gamestar 4 0 to maintain @19C- frisl-sontact-beween the ,thermossnple Wir-e5. al! th The tnbing 25am the. housing-,1 0arepteterablymase "likel plugfreceiying t elernentbor` sleeve L.47 is :proyided ,i positioned. ,The-.lowenend .of .,the terminallsleevpgh fi prnvidedwith. a..threaded,boreniarranged t'or ceiye' fand e-.seeure the end ealosur icaztube i tas )the temperature of @masseslube Where .the tubeAS hasfben ivrnkennarias th course of temperature measurement, theinetalaleev 5:3 aprendes an extendingiporttien .which may alie, .grasped sto remov that .portion-ef the tube .,515 remaining within ,the endclosure. The ,adjacent sunfaces of the tube L45 and the sleeve 53 v ar/e cQated with ,a .refractory cement such .as Adundum Ito formi-a bond between the sleeve and the tube `and Aalso ite .prei/ ent molten metals .gironi .enter- -ing intotthepassage andtbeyond.

'i 'Ehe .resilient retainingmcans 52 ds preferably arnulti leaf spring structure of the typelillustrated'in Fig. 5.V :It ,may tbe madef .a single piece ofmetal or exeral pieces Iof metal welded together. -lhesprngfSZ sseated a cavity 154 formed in .the ,end..closurve .4 6, .which cavity .opens into thetcavityorcountcrfbore 5,1. EEhespringZ :is flocked .in its position :within fthev end closureA b y .a ycenterbored Ainternally ,threaded cap member 55which .ris threadedlytreceivedbyathe endc1osure A6.

i lhelspri'ng 52 `is providedtwith .a :leaf .spring member 5 2Amadeflongerfthan the othernleaf springtportionsand l extending tinto the counter-.bore .50 :for engagement .with aside Wallofthe tube 45. iliheileaffspring vmember52A also lockshthe lspring against vrotation .within its .cavity caused by a twisting .movement of the asilica .tube during 'its insertion orremoval. Thus the .member 52A -is at I,all

.svilivcaltubef Theother leaves :of the spring 52 yengage iwall structure defining -thecavity 54 wthintheendlosure 4.@ j

:The spring 52 vvmay be made -of-any..materia l -having 'times positioned- A to be -engaged-bywall lstructure .of `th'e the property -of retaining the characteristic fiesiliency 'after being exposed `to high temperatures. '.Whee'.the

thermocouple device r embodying lthespring structure :is

to-be Yused .in the measurement of temperatures in the range exceeding-230,() F., thefspring structure may-be "maille of a metal of deep-dravvntemper and knowniby-the trademark-Inconel Xl The hightemperature resilient retaining characteristics `of material may be Yirnnprovedby a method'of. heat-treatmentnowtto be described.

AThe I.spring material is first tsubjected to a treatment which 'involves `heating the material hat a temperature of approximately F. for va kperi-0d of i'from t\ vo to fours-hours. The materialis' airlcooled 'toambient temperature and then subjected. to hfigh'temperature aging,

anfing which itisfh'id at temperature 0i appraximafly 1550 F. for twenty-'fourholirsl Upon vtenziilgtationV f the high-temperature aging, the material's air-cooled once rnore to Vambient' V,temperature andV then subecrt'ed to flou/temperature aging', at vwhich`5 t`emper`2 1ture -'it After the 10u/impastare as i11g-psfed1ss. expired the m @rial is..againaiesolsitogmsiat-tsmpsttut .and ady ionamin-Sach, is. emasretute-fasssarsmats @H1-steel, in .ssenfhaarth tif will ibeanderstaad .thattheinsstisngistnof:limited vengagement with screw 26.

vor to the method used in improving thehigh-temperature removing means rendered accessible when a lower protective jacket 57 is moved upwardly by sliding the jacket away from engagement with the radially extending anges 58 formed integrally with the plug 46.

The foregoing means comprises a structure engageable, if desired, by a tool for unscrewing the plug 46 froml the sleeve 47.V That structure comprises the walls of a hole 59 bored transversely through the body of plug 46 adjacent the flanged portion 58. Any elongated member (not shown), such as a screw driver may be used to loosen the plug for removal.

The insulating jacket 57 of refractory material preferably extends along the greater portion of the sleeve 47, and the upper end thereof is desirably formed with a rabbeted or interlocking joint complementary with a further jacket section 60 which enclose the upper portion Yof the sleeve 47 and a portion of the housing 10.

By so forming the ends of the jacket sectionswith overlapping complementary shapes, as the ends of sections 57 and 60, liquid-metal seals are formed to protect the housing and the terminal portion thereof including sleeve 47 and plug 46. Referring now to both Figs. 2 and 3, the jacket section surrounding housing 10 includes a plurality of additional sections 61, which act to transmit a longitudinal thrust applied through an annular washer 62, sleeve 63 and coil spring 64 to bias the lower end of jacket section 57 into engagement with the shoulder section of plug 46. As shown, a biasing means, coil spring 64 is seated against coupling 22. For the purpose of removing the spring-biasing force on insulating jacket sections 57, 60r and 61, an outer sleeve member 65 is secured to sleeve member 63 as by weld 66. Sleeve 65 preferably surrounds coil spring 64 and is provided with a bayonet joint indicated as 67 which may be brought into engagement with lock screw 26 by retracting sleeves 65 and 63 to compress spring 64. Locking is accomplished by rotation of the sleeve member to bring the lower portion of bayonet joint 67 into While the bayonet joint 67 is shown completely out of engagement with screw 26 for clarity of illustration, in practice sleeve 65 desirably will be suciently long so that the longitudinal Vor axial portion of bayonet joint 67 will at all times engage the screw 26 in avoidance of need to move the open end of slot 67 to the screw 26 and to prevent binding of sleeve 65 against screw 26 during contraction of assembly after heating or immersion. Y

In operation', when it is desired to renew or install a new thermocouple section within the silica tube 45 `(Fig 2), the jacket sections 57, 60 and 61 will be retracted along the length of housing 10 by relieving the spring thrust produced by coil spring 64, Fig. 3, by upward movement of sleeve 65 so that the bayonet joint 67 is engaged and held by screw 26. With jacket section 57 so retracted, Fig. 2, the plug member 46 may be removed from sleeve 47 by insertion ofra suitable tool into the aperture 59 threadably to disengage the plug 46 from the sleeve 45.

From the foregoing description, it will be apparent 'that upon removal of the end plug 46 and the sleeve 47, the terminal assembly or connector 40 will be exposed. A renewal section of thermocouple wire may be pulled from its storage within the measuring device by merely separating the connector members 41 and 42' to free `the frictional engagement between the thermo- 'couple' wires'and their associated lead wires and extracting the desired length of thermocouple wire necessary to form a new'temperature-measuring junction. Ordibe great enough (2 feet long) as compared with the length narily, the stored lengths of the thermocouple wires willv (about 6 inches) of the thermocouple from the connector 40 to the hot junction 37 to permit a number of replacements of the thermocouple. While various modifications and changes in the foregoing embodiment of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art, all such modifications and changes as are within the scope of the appended claims are intended to be embraced thereby.

What is claimed is:

l. A connector for alording quick connection and disconnection between thermocouple wires and their associated lead wires, said connector comprised of male and female insulating structures, said male structure having a plurality of apertures passing longitudinally therethrough, said female structure having a plurality of apertures passing longitudinally therethrough, said structures having complementary surfaces upon which the respective apertures open, at least two of the apertures of each of said structures being in alignment along said complementary surfaces, restraining wire members received by said aligned apertures for preventing lateral movement between said structures, said male member having oppositely disposed surfaces along one of which is disposed a thermocouple wire and a lead wire crossed thereover and along the other of which is disposed another thermocouple wire and its associated lead wire crossed thereover, and means for transmitting a resilient force to one of said structures to move it toward the other one of said structures to establish contact by compression between each of said thermocouple wires and its associated lead wire at points along said complementary surfaces.

2. An immersion thermocouple device including a connector for affording connection and disconnection between thermocouple wires and their associated lead wires, said connector comprised of male and female insulating structures having complementary surfaces between which the.

thermocouple wires and their associated lead wires are to be disposed, wire structure passing through said connector structures and extending along said thermocouple device, and resilient means for transmitting a force lalong said wires to said connector structures to move said structures toward each other to establish by compression electrical contact between each of the thermocouple wires and its associated lead wire at points along said complementary surfaces.

3. The thermocouple device of claim 2 in which one of said connector structures is wedge-shaped having oppositely disposed inclined surfaces, one of said thermocouple wires and its associated lead wire disposed along each of said surfaces and crossing one over the other.

4. An immersion thermocouple device of the type in by forming new junctions from uncontaminated thermo- A.couple material contained within the device, said device Vcomprising an end structure through which said thermocouple elements extend, a silica tube surrounding the exposed portion of said thermocouple, said end structure having a cavity for receiving a portion of said silica tube, a spring structure adjacent an enclosed portion of said tube and positioned within another cavity openinginto said first-mentioned cavity for applying a lateral pressure against said tube to maintain it within said end structure, said tube being readily removed to exposeithe thermocouple, a connector for affording a quick connection and discolnnection between the thermocoujple elements and their associated lead wires, said connector comprised of male and female insulating structures hav.- ing complementary surfaces vbetween which the thermocouple elements and their associated lead wires are disposed, and resilient means for applying a force mainment so as to enable additional lengths of thermocouple elements to be withdrawn from said device upon removal of said silica tube for establishing a new uncontaminated hot junction.

5. A connector for providing readily renewable junctions between the thermocouple wires and lead wires compn'sing a first insulator having passages for carrying said thermocouple wires and said lead wires, said rst insulator having a wedge-shaped portion extending from one end thereof and having said passages oriented to have one passage for said thermocouple wire and one passage for said lead wire opening on each side of said portion,

va second insulator having a receiving cavity for said portion and passages for said thermocouple wire and said lead wire oriented to receive the respective wires after emergence from the passages of said rst insulator and 4crossing of the respective thermocouple wires and lead wires on the surfaces of said portion, and spring means biasing said irst and said second insulators into juxtaposition with said portion in said cavity to eiect electrical contact between the interposed lead wires and the thermocouple wires at the points where the wires cross on the surfaces of said portion.

6. A connector assembly for eecting an electrical connection by compression between a thermocouple wire and its associated lead wire and between another thermocouple wire and its associated lead wire and comprising a pair of structures each having at least two insulated inclined surface portions, said surface portions of one of said structures lbeing complementary to said surface portions of the other of said structures, said structures being movable toward and away from one another, at least one of said structures including means for guiding the thermocouple wires land the lead wires adjacent at least portions of said surfaces and in the direction of movement of said structures so tov cause to be disposed 19 along each of the surfaces of one of said structures one of the thermocouple wires and its associated lead wire crossing one over the other, and resilient means for moving said structures toward one another to effect separate electrical connection between one of the thermocouple wires and its associated lead wire and between the other thermocouple wire and its associated lead wire.

7. The connector assembly of claim 6 in which said one of said structures has a wedge-shaped portion providing said inclined surfaces and there is provided means for guiding the movement of said structures toward and away from one another to effect a connection and disconnection between the wires.

8. The'connector assembly of claim 7 in which said guide means is comprised of at least two spaced wire structures passing at least partially through one of said structures and completely through the other of said structures and along which said last-mentioned structure is movable due to the force transmitted by said resilient means to effect connections between said thermocouple and lead wires.

9. The connector assembly of claim 6 in which said one of said structures is'wedge-shaped providing oppositely disposed inclined surfaces.

References Cited in 'the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Wharton et al. July 26, 1955 

